Metallic means for gripping fabrics



Feb. 16, 1932.

1.,. w. JOYCE METALLIC MEANS FOR GRIPPING FABRICS Filed Sept. l2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 16, 1932. x.. w. JOYCE METALLIC MEANS .LFOR GRIPPING FABRICS Filed Sept. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 will In/vento@ 'L'. W Joyce l @Wfmmgfr Patented Feb. 16, 1932 e STATES PATENT OFFICE;

LYNDON W. JOYCE, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO J' OYCE-VENNING i.

MANUFACTURING C0. INC., OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE METALLIC MEANS FOR GRIPPING- FABRICS f Application led September 12, 1931. Serial No. 562,578'.

10 which will withstand the'strainof any reasonable pull without letting thefabric slip.

One of the objects of the invention is thel provision of gripping means, the gripping instrumentalities of which make line or sur- 15 face engagement with the 'fabric instead of the usual point engagement, so that not only is its bearingv surface upon the fabric ini from' which the middle bar of the suspender creased, but it does not dig into the fabric between the meshes thereof, tending to dis-l integrate it as do ordinary gripping means of the pointed teeth type.

Another object of the invention is the pro.1 vision of gripping means particularly designed for a suspender slide in which one or twoV rows' of primary gripping teeth or elements are provided, emanating sidewise from the slide bar and 'supplemented by an auxil-l iary row of teeth which form an additional line of engagement with the fabric. where it falls abruptly about the slide bar in the formation of the adjustable loop from which the button engaging device usually depends.

It is to be understood that where the term suspender slide cludes the equivalent of the suspender slide as it is found in belts, garters and other ylike devices. Y

Still another object of the invention relates to the method of assembling the suspender strip in enfolded relation to asus'- pender slide provided with such gripping means as the present invention aords.

Other objects of the invention will appear asy the following description ofl preferred and practical embodiments thereofV proceeds.

TheI invention isdisclosed in the following specification accompanied by drawings of object:` Y

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewv of the adjusto able portion of a suspender'showing the free is used, the term also in-v end of the fabric bound with -an element embracing one form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the element incorporated in the suspender slide.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the construction shown in Fig. 2, the slide being shown insection. f' Y `Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line44 of Fig. 2, on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the blank formingthe binding on the end of the fabricy shown in Fig. l, in its open or receptivel condition.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the suspender slide embodyingthe same features of invention.

Fig.'7 is a perspective view of the blanli slide shown in Fig. 6 isfconstructed.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of suspender slide particularly shownin sectionto illustrate a modified form of the invention in which two lateral series of gripping elements are provided.

y Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8, on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 10 isa'transverse section talren along the line 101O ofr Fig. 9.

Figs. 11 and 12 are cross-sections through slightly modified forms of the invention showing differences in degree of the deiiection of the teeth on the outside of the suspender slide.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and considering first that form of the invention shown in Figs. l and 5, the reference charac-ter 1 designates a piece of suspender fabric or webbing arranged in enfolded relation to the suspender slide 13 and having its free end 2 extending rearwardly `of said slide. ln this formA of the invention no novelty is predicated of the slide, webbing or the suspender loop '(12) but only in the" metallic binding 3, and the manner in which itis selcoured to the free end of the suspender ,web-

ing.

Fig.' 5 shows that the metallic binding is trough shaped and that one of its` sides is formed with a series of transverse apertures', preferably rectangular. The opposite side is preferably formed with slits similar to the slits (7) shown in Fig. 7, extending perpendicularly to the transverse edge of the binding and delining teeth, alternate ones being turned inward as shown at 8 in Fig. 5 corresponding in position to the apertures 6, so that when the trough shaped binding is pressed together, the teeth (8) will enter the apertures 6. Y

It is contemplated that the free end of the fabric shall be inserted within the trough shaped binding so that when the sides of the latter are pressed together the teeth 8 shall force the fabric into the apertures 6.

It is to be understood that the teeth 8 are formed with substantially fiat tops and that the edges of the apertures 6 are preferably rectilinear so that the fabric is pressed on both sides by linear edges, both of the teeth and apertures instead of being penetrated byA pointed teeth as is the mode of securement in ordinary practice.

Since linearpressure between the teeth and the edges of the apertures does not result in the penetration of the fabric by the gripping means, there is no tendency to tear the fabric, nor in the case where the fabric is of rubber elastic to sever the rubber strands. i

In Figs. 2 to with the exception of Fig. 5, a form of the invention is shown in which the gripping means is applied to a suspender slide. In this instance the middle .bar 14 of the slide is formed trough shaped in the same manner as the binding shown in Fig. 5 and has teeth and rectangular apertures constructed and arranged in the same manner as in the first described form of the invention.

The middle bar is however formed with laterally extending lugs 15 which in assembling the slide are Wrapped around the sides 16 of the frame portion as shown in Fig. 6 by which means the middle bar may be fixed either rigidly or slidably with respect to the fram-e of the slide. he manner of enfolding the suspender webbing relative to the slide is indicated in Figj from which it will be observed that the free end of the fabric is clamped in the trough of the middle bar and that the series of teeth 8 press the fabric in engagement with the edges of the apertures 6 in precisely the same manner as in that form of the invention described in Figs. 1 and 5. However, just throughthe point where the fabric issues from the middle bar of the slide, it is folded abruptly bach upon the edge of said middle bar as shown at 9 in Fig. t.

It will be observed from Fig. 6 that in bending. the alternate teeth 8 inwardly, the remaining portion of the slitted edge of the middle bar defines a series of alternately disposed teeth extending endwise of said middle bar and it is over these teeth that the suspender webbing is abruptly folded. After passing through the button holding loop 12 shown in Fig. 9 the webbing is foldeduponV itself and brought under the slide frame over the middle bar and under the opposite member of the side frame as shown in Fig. 13, the continuing` end being secured in any suitable manner to a part of the suspender not shown.

It will be clearly understood that when a pull is imparted to the button holding loop 12, the force is transmitted through the suspender webbing to the endwise directed teeth causing them to press against the fabric at the folded portion 9, relieving the part of the fabric which is clamped between the teeth 8 and the apertures 6 of a portion of the strain of the pull. In this manner, the strength of the suspender slide is enhanced to such a degree that in tests the fabric has been torn apart, rather than come loose from the engagement of the gripping means. It is obvious that in this form of the invention the button holding loop can be adj usted by manually sliding the portion of the suspender webbing designated by reference character 17 relative to the suspender slide.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show a form of the invention quite similar to that shown in Figs. 2, 3, 6 and 7, diering only in the respect that in the forming of the rectangular apertures 6 the material displaced is left integral at one side of th-e said apertures but pushed out so as to form a series of teeth 18 directed outwardly from the trough shaped member.

The advantages of this construction are apparent from Fig. 9, from which it will be observed that there are three series of teeth engaging the suspender fabric along three different lines, the teeth 8 which force the fabric into line engagement with the edges of the apertures 6, the series of endwise directed teeth 19 which engage the fabric where it is abruptly folded back of the suspender slide, and the series of teeth 18 which engage the fabricV where it overlies the middle bar of the suspender slide.

it is to be understood that when the pull is brought upon the button holding loop, not only is the pressure resisted by the series of teeth 19 as wellas the primary gripping teeth 8, but the pull tends to straighten that portion of the fabric which overlies the middle bar, bringing it forcibly into engagement with the series of teeth 18, and preventing slipping of the webbing. Moreover, the series ofteeth 18 holds the webbing out from the plane ofthe middle bar at such an angle to the side bars as to facilitate the movement of the slide in adjusting the length of the suspenderse. rlhus three functions are accomplished in this modification of the ine vention, namely; distribution of the stress of the pull along two lines of engagement of the fabric by the gripping means, preventing the free end of the fabric from being pulled out, and the prevention of the slipping of the opposite side of the webbing relative to the suspender slide, thus maintaining the adjustpossible for ment of the suspender loop an increased facility in adjusting.

Fig. 10 shows that the teeth 18 or for that matter, any of the teeth may be formed convex at the end so as to more nearly distribute the clamping pressure uniformly along the entire length, for it is of course well known and readily demonstrable that when the fabric is pressed into the apertures 6 it assumes a curved contour conforming to the arcuate shape of the teeth 18. While Fig. 9 shows the teeth 18 directed normal-ly with respect to the surface of the middle bar, it is yet within the province of the invention to alter the degree of inclination of said teeth, and Figs. 11 and 12 show at 2 and 21 different de grecs to which the teeth 18 may be angularly displaced.

In the method of assembling the suspender webbing in relation to a slide provided with the gripping elements as disclosed in either that form of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, or that illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, the free end of the strip is inserted within the trough shaped middle bar, the sides of which are then brought together clampably upon the fabric adjacent the free edge, forcing the inwardly directed row of teeth against the fabric, pushing the latter into the apertures 6. `The suspender strip is then bent abruptly around the endwise proj ecting teeth 19 and folded into a loop about the bail of the metallic button holding element 12. The strip is then passed between the cross bars between the suspender slide frame and the middle bar. It is obvious that when the pull comes upon the button enga-ging element 12 it is resisted first by the row of endwise projecting teeth and only sec-- ondarily by the main gripping elements constituted by the teeth 8 and the apertures 6.

The harder the pull on the fabric the greater will be the pressure of the teeth 19 against the fabric. It thus becomes practically imany reasonable strain to pull the suspender strip out of the trough shaped clamped portion of the middle bar of the suspender slide.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be preferred and practical embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that the specific construction as shown and described is merely by way of example and that variations in the shape and arrangement of the several parts may be resorted to and still be within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is my invention is:

1. Suspender slide comprising a frame and middle bar, the latter being formed as a trough, to clampably receive Ythe end of a fabric strip, one side of said trough having a transverse row of elongated perforations having substantially rectilinear sides, and the other having a transverse row of substanti'ally, Vflat topped teethy extending toward andi substantially ttingsaid perforation, for forcing'intervening.fabric into line engagement with the sides of said perforations when the sides ofsaid trough are pinched together. v2.Y Suspender slidecomprising a'frame and middle bar, the latter being formed as a trough to clampably receive the end of afabri'c strip, one side of saidvtroughL having a transverse series of elongated perforations and the other having a transverse row of substantially fiat topped teeth extending toward and vsubstantially kfitting sai'dvperforations for forcing intervening fabric into engagement with the sides ofsaid` perforations when the sides of saidtrough are pinched together, the side having the aforementioned row of flat topped teeth, having'also another row of teeth extending endwise substantially inthe plane of said side, and adapted to engage the fabric when the latter is vfolded about said side. i

3. Suspender slide comprising a frame and middle bar, the latter being formed as a trough to clampably receive ythe end of a fab-ric strip, one side of said trough having transverse row of elongated perforations, the other side of said trough having a series of slits directed endwise defining teeth, certain of said teeth being directed toward and registrable with said perforations for forcing intervening fabric into engagement with the sides of said perforations when the sides of said trough are pinched together, the remaining teeth extending endwise in the plane of the side fromy which they emanate and being adapted to engage the fabric when the latter is folded about said side.

4. Metallic binding for the free end of a fabric strip comprising. a trough-shaped member, one side of which has a. transverse row of elongated perforations having substantially rectilinear sides, and the other side having a transverse row of flat topped teeth extending toward and substantially fitting said perforations, for forcing intervening fabric into line engagement with the sides of said perforations when the sides of said trough are pinched together.

` 5. Metallic binding for the free end of a fabric strip comprising a member formed as a trough adapted to clampably receive the end of said strip, one side of said trough having a transverse row of elongated perforations, the other side of said trough having a series of slits directed endwise defining teeth, certain of said teeth being directed towards `and registrable with said perforations for forcing intervening fabric intoengagement with the sides of said perforations when the sides of said trough are pinched together, the remaining teeth extending endwise in the plane of the side from which they emanate, and being adapted to engage the fabric when the latter is folded about said side.

6. Suspender slide comprising a frame and a. middle bar, the latter being formed as a trough to clampably receive the end of a fabric strip, one side of said trough having a. transverse row of elongated punched perforations with the metal displaced from the same extending outwardly of said trough forming teeth, the other side of said trough having a transverse row of substantially flat topped teeth extending toward and substantially fitting said perforations for forcing the intervening fabric into engagement with the edges of said perforations when the sides of said trough are pinched together, the row of outwardly extending teeth being ada ted to engage that part of the fabric strip w ich passes between the transverse members of said frame and said middle bar in the formationk of an adjustable fabric loop.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

LYNDON W. JOYCE. 

